Her Agenda Breakthrough Grant 2026: $5,000 Grant for Women Entrepreneurs
The Her Agenda Breakthrough Grant 2026 is now accepting applications from women entrepreneurs with an operating business. The Volume III edition offers a $5,000 grant to help a visionary woman entrepreneur overcome financial barriers and take her business to the next level.
The grant is designed around a simple idea: many talented women are close to achieving something significant but lack the capital needed to move forward. The Breakthrough Grant aims to provide that financial boost.
Her Agenda Breakthrough Grant 2026 – Quick Details
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Grant | The Breakthrough Grant |
| Edition | Volume III |
| Organizer | Her Agenda |
| Grant amount | $5,000 |
| Target beneficiaries | Women entrepreneurs |
| Business requirement | Must have a currently operating business |
| Business industry | Any industry |
| Business stage | Any stage |
| Newsletter requirement | Active Her Agenda newsletter subscriber |
| General application fee | $25 |
| INSIDER member fee | $12.50 |
| Applications opened | January 18, 2026 |
| Application deadline | September 18, 2026 |
| Winner announcement | November 2026 |
About the Breakthrough Grant
The Breakthrough Grant was created by Rhonesha Byng, Founder and CEO of Her Agenda, after recognising that many brilliant women entrepreneurs are held back not by a lack of ideas or ambition, but by a lack of capital.
The grant is intended to give women entrepreneurs the financial resources they need to make their next breakthrough.
Unlike a traditional grant programme funded by a large institution, the Breakthrough Grant is fully community-funded. It is supported by Her Agenda readers and dedicated INSIDER members.
Application fees and donations go directly toward sustaining and growing the pool of capital available to women entrepreneurs.
Who Can Apply?
To be considered for the Breakthrough Grant, applicants must:
- Be a woman entrepreneur.
- Have a currently operating business.
- Be an active subscriber to the Her Agenda newsletter.
- Operate a business in any industry.
- Have a business at any stage.
Being an active Her Agenda newsletter subscriber is specifically listed as a mandatory requirement for consideration.
How Much Is the Grant?
The selected entrepreneur will receive:
$5,000
The grant is intended to provide capital that can help the winning entrepreneur move their business forward and fuel their next breakthrough.
The winner is expected to be announced in November 2026.
Application Fee
Unlike many free grant applications, the Breakthrough Grant has an application fee.
General Entry
$25
Her Agenda INSIDER Members
$12.50
INSIDER members receive a 50% discount on the standard application fee.
According to Her Agenda, all application fees go toward sustaining and growing the pool of capital for women entrepreneurs.
Application Timeline
January 18, 2026
Applications opened.
September 18, 2026
Application deadline.
All applications must be submitted by this date.
November 2026
Winner announcement.
The selected entrepreneur will receive the $5,000 grant to fuel their breakthrough.
Previous Breakthrough Grant Winners
Her Agenda has previously awarded the Breakthrough Grant to women entrepreneurs.
Volume II Winner – Emily Mack
Emily Mack founded Offline Wine, a sister-founded wine brand focused on creating research-driven wines for millennial women.
She was selected from approximately 1,000 applications.
Volume I Winner – Ugenia Stokes
Ugenia Stokes founded FWIN Productions, a Black, woman- and LGBTQIA+-led production and film company specialising in scripted narrative, documentary and animation at the intersection of art, education, community and technology.
She was selected from 203 applications.
These previous winners demonstrate the range of businesses and entrepreneurs that the grant has supported.
Community Supporters
The Breakthrough Grant is powered by community support.
For Volume I, 48 donors contributed toward the $5,000 goal. Her Agenda notes that many supporters are also women featured in its editorial coverage.
Past supporters include:
- Karen Civil – Entrepreneur & Marketing Strategist
- Major General (Ret.) Mari Eder – U.S. Army
- Mara Schiavocampo – Journalist, Author and Podcast Host
- Susan McPherson – Founder & CEO, McPherson Strategies
- Tammy Tibbetts – Co-founder and CEO, She’s the First
- Daisy Auger-Domínguez – Chief People Officer, Auger-Domínguez Ventures
- Rachel Sklar – Writer & Co-founder, The Li.st
- Lorine Pendleton – Founding Partner, 125 Ventures
- Gesche Haas – Founder & CEO, Dreamers & Doers
- DeShuna Elisa Spencer – Founder/CEO, kweliTV
- Ezinne Okoro – Chief Inclusion & Culture Strategy Officer, VML
- Gabrielle Gambrell – SVP & Chief Communications Officer, Hachette Book Group
Her Agenda also acknowledges many other individuals who support the goal of empowering women entrepreneurs.
Expert Review Panel
The grant has also benefited from the expertise of accomplished entrepreneurs, executives and industry leaders.
According to Her Agenda, 64 accomplished entrepreneurs, executives and industry leaders have volunteered their time and expertise as judges alongside the Her Agenda team.
Past judges include:
- Tina Wells – Founder, Wellspring
- Lauren Maillian – CEO, LMB Group
- Yanely Espinal – Author of MissBeHelpful LLC
- Renae Bluitt – Founder, She Did That
- Robin McBride – Co-founder, McBride Sisters Wine Company
- Ann Shoket – CEO, TheLi.st
- Roberta Annan – Chairperson, Annan Capital Partners
- Sheila Marmon – Founder/CEO, Mirror Digital
- Nancy Redd – New York Times bestselling author and host
- Regina Lawless – Founder/CEO, Bossy and Blissful
- Charreah Jackson – Founder, Shine Army
- Dr. Nikkia McClain – CEO, Tene Nicole Creative Agency.
Her Agenda also invites accomplished entrepreneurs and executives to volunteer as judges and help select the next Breakthrough Grant recipient.
Other Ways to Support the Grant
People who are not applying can still participate in the movement.
Donate
Individuals can donate to help grow the fund and potentially enable Her Agenda to award the grant to multiple entrepreneurs.
According to Her Agenda, donations go directly toward the mission of growing the capital available to women entrepreneurs.
Volunteer as a Judge
Experienced entrepreneurs and executives can volunteer their expertise and join the review panel.
Read the Archive
Her Agenda also provides an archive containing editorial coverage of the Breakthrough Grant, including previous winner spotlights and stories about supporters.
How to Apply
Step 1: Confirm Your Eligibility
Make sure you:
- Are a woman entrepreneur.
- Have a currently operating business.
- Operate in any industry or at any business stage.
- Are an active subscriber to the Her Agenda newsletter.
Step 2: Subscribe to Her Agenda
An active Her Agenda newsletter subscription is mandatory for consideration.
Step 3: Complete the Application
Submit your Breakthrough Grant application through the official application platform.
Step 4: Pay the Application Fee
The standard application fee is $25.
Her Agenda INSIDER members pay $12.50, representing a 50% discount.
Step 5: Submit Before the Deadline
Your application must be submitted by:
September 18, 2026.
Important Things to Know
- This is a grant, not a traditional academic scholarship.
- The opportunity is specifically for women entrepreneurs.
- Your business must already be operating; an idea alone does not meet the stated requirement.
- Businesses from any industry and at any stage can apply.
- An active Her Agenda newsletter subscription is mandatory.
- The standard application costs $25.
- INSIDER members pay $12.50.
- The selected entrepreneur receives $5,000.
- The application deadline is September 18, 2026.
- The winner will be announced in November 2026.
- Application fees and donations help sustain and grow the fund for women entrepreneurs.
Her Agenda Breakthrough Grant 2026 – Summary
Grant: The Breakthrough Grant
Edition: Volume III
Organizer: Her Agenda
Amount: $5,000
For: Women entrepreneurs
Business status: Currently operating business required
Industry: Any
Business stage: Any
Newsletter: Active Her Agenda subscriber required
Application fee: $25
INSIDER fee: $12.50
Applications opened: January 18, 2026
Deadline: September 18, 2026
Winner announcement: November 2026
Funding model: Community-funded.
Scholarships Expiring Soon
Conclusion
If you are a woman running an existing business and capital is one of the things standing between your business and its next stage of growth, this $5,000 Breakthrough Grant may be worth considering. The deadline is September 18, 2026.
